Helenville Chimney Repairs Required? It’s Not Hard to Identify the Symptoms

Indication that a Helenville home’s chimney requires repairs isn’t hard to spot.

Bricks, or chips from bricks, on the ground next to the chimney. Staining of remaining bricks in the structure. Visible gaps between bricks. Efflorescence – a white, chalky powder – coating your Helenville chimney’s exterior.

Inside the home, discoloration or efflorescence inside the fireplace is a red flag, too.

Each indicator might have a different source. Waiting to act isn’t wise, though. Complications can quickly worsen. The first step is a chimney and fireplace inspection by Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Helenville.

The common factor in nearly every chimney issue is water. Sometimes the culprit is cracked or damaged flue tiles inside the chimney, which allow moisture to seep into the chimney cavity. If a water heater vents into the chimney, the issue can be far worse. Either way, problems begin when moisture has direct contact with masonry.

Gaps in a chimney – from missing bricks, or failed mortar joints – are serious red flags. Helenville rains can directly leak inside the chimney cavity, making a bad scenario far worse.

The initial step is to confront root causes. If flue tiles have lost their structural integrity, installing a stainless steel chimney liner generally stops internal moisture problems. The damage to the chimney remains, though.

Tuckpointing - grinding out and replacing deteriorated mortar – is occasionally all that’s needed. Adding optional ChimneySaver water repellent tacks five years onto Butler Chimneys’ normal five-year warranty, promising a decade of protection from the elements.

If the source of water leakage is a cracked chimney crown, two options are available. A stainless steel chimney cap can be mounted atop the crown, forming an “umbrella” above the chimney. Or, if the crown is too weakened, a new one is poured.

If a chimney is beyond recovery, a full or partial rebuild is in order. A masonry project runs three to five days; for appliance chimneys, usually one day. You and your Helenville neighbors can expect scaffolding to be put up, or a temporary rooftop construction station built.

The chimney is reconstructed with fresh bricks and new mortar to building code height. Butler Chimneys works to match colors of new bricks to originals; bricks can be stained, if needed.

A new 5-inch-thick concrete crown is poured on top. The crown uses a 2-inch overhang to keep water off the new chimney below. Your new chimney is as attractive as it is functional!

If you spot symptoms of a deteriorating chimney, what’s the issue … and the remedy? Only inspection by a qualified chimney company can find the answers. Time, though, is of the essence – contact Butler Chimneys before more (or worse) symptoms appear!